The present invention relates generally to heating, ventilating, air conditioning, or refrigeration (HVAC) systems. The present invention relates more particularly to systems and methods for estimating a flow rate through a HVAC device (e.g., a heat exchanger) based on a measured pressure differential across the HVAC device.
HVAC systems generally include a variety of HVAC devices configured to facilitate heating, cooling, refrigeration, and/or other HVAC applications. The flow rate of a refrigerant, coolant, or other working fluid through a HVAC device may be a useful quantity for purposes of determining a heating, cooling, or refrigeration load served by the HVAC device. The flow rate of a fluid through a HVAC device is typically measured using a flow rate sensor installed upstream or downstream of the HVAC device. However, flow rate sensors can be expensive, inaccurate, and are often difficult to properly calibrate and maintain. Flow rate measurements can also have a high uncertainty associated therewith. It would be desirable to provide a system or method for obtaining flow rate information that overcomes these and other disadvantages of conventional flow rate measurements.